Never Lost
by Ebonytwinkle
Summary: When Sakura returns home broken and lost, Naruto's there to pick up the pieces. [NaruSaku]


Disclaimer: I obviously don't own Naruto nor am I claiming to. Just writing some non-profit fan fiction for my own entertainment purposes. : )

**Warnings:** Uh, I guess it's kinda angst…I don't know, just read : P

**Pairings: **NaruSaku

**Rating:** T

**AN:** This is the second fic that just popped up while I was in the middle of writing something completely different (and in no way does either this story or 'Defend My Honor!' have _anything_ to do with what I'm attempting to pump out, so _how the hell does this keep happening!?!_ lol) Well, hope you enjoy it nonetheless!

Never Lost

She is quiet when she exits the bath in nothing more than a white towel. From where I sit on the bed I can easily see the flash of distain that crosses her features directed to the cloth wrapped around her.

White.

I instantly know her reaction is due to the color she is wearing. It symbolized purity, innocence and other things she believes she has long since lost…but I say nothing. I remain seated as she passes me and makes her way towards the vanity mirror. There she reaches for a brush and begins running it through her damp rosette locks.

After a couple of strokes, the soft curls that were attempting to form are straightened out and she has successfully ridded herself of tangles, but she does not stop brushing. She's looking into the mirror while she does this, but the reflection before her is not what she sees. She's looking past herself, through herself, searching for something she believes cannot be found, but I easily see it's still there.

Soon the brushing stops but her searching hasn't. Her far off gaze returns and focuses on to her own eyes and before she can stop herself a single tear slips out.

The thought of her being in pain hurts me more than any ninjutsu could possible hope to inflict on me. And when her eyes trail over and lock with my own I could no longer hold myself back. I'm on my feet and walking towards her even though I know that the last thing she wants is for me to be near her.

At any other time I would have respected her wishes, but when she's so close to losing herself what needs to be done easily out weighs what she wants to be done.

I stop directly behind her and she turns her head away to hide herself in shame. The act breaks my heart and threatens to reduce me to nothing more than a sobbing child, but I will myself to stay strong for her, for us. My arms wrap themselves around her body and my lips connect lightly in the juncture of her neck and shoulder. We stay like this for a while and not too long after I feel her tense body relax and lean into mine. Her arms have wrapped themselves over mine and I feel them tighten to let me know she is with me.

The thought of having to spend another night waiting for her to salvage her sanity frightens me, forcing me to suppress a shudder at having recalled such times. But she is with me, and before long she speaks, though softly and briefly.

"I'm sorry."

Once the words are uttered her bottom lip trembles a bit before she sucks it in and runs her tongue over it to prevent it from escalading further. My hands run up and down her sides soothingly as I begin shushing her and telling her it's not her fault.

Time ticks by still and after awhile of silence I begin to worry again. I suppose she could tell because at that moment she lifted her head up to meet my gaze through the mirror and gives me a small smile, albeit forced.

"Make love to me?"

Her plead was nothing more than a whisper but I hear it nonetheless. Wordlessly I tilt my head down and capture her lips in a slow familiar kiss. She turns herself around so that our chests are touching and wraps her arms around my neck. Now at a better angle I deepen the kiss but continue at the same tedious pace. When I catch her whimper in my throat I break the kiss and lift her in my arms.

Reaching the bed, I lay her cradled form upon it then hover over her to continue where our kiss left off. Our tongues slide together sensually and I run my fingers through her hair, but when I feel moisture on my fingertips I pull back slightly and am met with her tear soaked face.

Her eyes open and look into mine, silently apologizing for her reaction, but I pay it no mind. My lips give each eye a feathery touch as my thumbs smooth out the tear stained cheeks. Once I am satisfied I look down into her eyes and give a genuine smile.

"Beautiful."

The result was a blush that rivaled her hair, and that's how I know she isn't lost.

The night goes on in this same unhurried pace for the both of us and I worshipped her throughout the entirety of it all. Some of it was spent kissing, other parts of it were nothing more than a tight hold and a loving embrace. A lot of it was spent with our bodies joined together, slowly moving to bring us both over the edge. But all of the time we shared was spent loving each other and by morning she was sleeping calmly, tucked securely by my side.

I, however, am not as fortunate.

I lay awake and my own tears threaten to fall just as hers were doing earlier, all the while rubbing her hand in an effort to comfort myself. I think back to her blank, blood soaked form when she first entered the house and ignored me to make her way towards the washroom, I think back to the her pained expressions and the tears she shed over the whole ordeal, and I think about how this isn't the first time this has happened and I can't help but feel like I'm to blame.

I could have done more, could've said more to convince her to marry me before this whole thing got as out of hand as it did. I could have saved her from all this, but she stubbornly refused saying she wasn't going to tie me down, at least not until I had achieved my dream.

If I were stronger I would have already been Hokage, if I were stronger I wouldn't have to sit back and watch helplessly as Sakura slowly looses herself, if I were stronger I wouldn't be laying here crying like a baby because some S class mission required the woman I love to get whored up like some common two bit prostitute all for the sake of our village! But all this was going to change now! Never again will she be forced to perform 'kunoichi' duties such as these, I'm taking her away from all that!

I reach over on the nightstand and carefully pull out the box which held her freedom. Taking the ring and gently placing it on her finger I think back to when I first presented it to her, and how she fought her way out of it, believing that married life would be a distraction and a hindrance to reaching my goal. And though we had fought all night over the issue, this time would be different. This time I wouldn't cave in simply because it is what she wishes, this time I wouldn't take no for an answer!

I may know that if this goes on I'll always be there for her, always be there to try to bring her back from the nightmare she had to endure. With me by her side I know she'd never be lost, but if seeing her like that slowly made me lose _myself _where would that leave us in the long run? How does having this hanging over my head in any way prove useful to becoming Rokudaime?

And if she still fights with me on the matter then I'll change. I'll become stronger! The village and Hokage be damn, I'll do it for her…I'll give up anything and everything for her! Because I don't to lose her, never want to her to be abused like this, and I never wish to wake up without her in my arms ever again!

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**AN: So yeah…was kinda going on that whole 'if you're married you don't have to sleep with anyone for the sake of a mission' thing there, and then I'z got to thinkin "What would Naruto do if he had to stand by while Sakura did this…" and this little baby is was my end result. ::sigh:: sadly, all this happened while I was trying to focus on a different fic. Geez, I'm bad at staying on track (can you tell). Anyways, let me know what you think peoplez! (No one yell at me for this PLZ!!! ) : ) till next time…see ya! 


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